Massive earthquakes strike Indonesia

September 13, 2007 According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) a second massive earthquake, magnitude 7.8 struck Indonesia at 6:49 a.m. (local time) [23:49 (UTC)]. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 185 kilometers (115 miles) south, southeast of Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia with a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). Just hours ago on September 12, a massive 8.4 quake struck in the same region killing six people and injuring hundreds.

Several aftershocks have rocked the same area, the latest measuring 7.1, had a depth of 10 km. It was first reported to be a 7.3 aftershock. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had issued a tsunami warning saying that the quake had the potential to "generate a destructive local tsunami and sometimes regional destructive tsunamis along coasts located usually no more than a thousand kilometers from the earthquake epicenter," but it was later lifted because no tsunamis were generated. Australia was also included in the warning. An advisory was sent out for the 6.5 aftershock stating that there was "no widespread tsunami threat based on earthquake historical data."

There is no word on injuries, deaths, or damage, but the USGS states that damage could be "moderate to heavy." The quake was felt in Singapore where buildings are reported to have shook.